“No question now, especially since both of their last fights are perceived as walkovers, that 99.5 percent of the public wants to see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather next. Those two bouts were not competitive because both guys are so good.

“This is the biggest fight of all time, Mayweather against Pacquiao, and it has to happen. Now the fight is doable.

“I mean, out of 100 people, over 99.5 percent want this fight next. The other .5 percent, they don't care and they don't really give a spit. With any big fight, there is a right time to make the fight.

“The public demand reminds of when Muhammad Ali fought Joe Frazier the first time in 1971 so you have to do everything you can (as a promoter) to support that, to make it happen.

“I had my doubts on Mayweather wanting it but now Floyd now genuinely wants the fight against Manny. Floyd knows you can't putter around. For right now, I will not talk about negotiations and I won't go into negotiations showing my cards. These issues have to be talked about in private, not in public, and that was the mistake by Mayweather's people last time we tried to make it.

“I don't want that to happen again. If everything goes well, a good time for that fight would be November, that would be a perfect time.”

That is what just landed promoter Bob Arum said upon his arrival here after flights from Las Vegas to Manila and then Manila to Pacman's hometown.

Dazzling Darlene Antonino-Custodio, who "knocked out" Manny Pacquiao in his first electoral foray in Gensan, is now running for an expected to be elected mayor of boxer's hometown, General Santos City (Michael Marley Photo)

Arum arrived just in time, about 10 a.m. Thursday local time, to head out for an afternoon political rally in Sarangani as his Congressional campaign against billionaire Roy Chiongbian winds down. Voting for the office takes place, along with many other local and national elections including a battle for the Philippine presidency, on Monday.

Arum said something that he's told me before, that he will never go against the Pinoy Idol's political ambitions because the fighter is drawing on divine inspiration.

“Manny credits all his success to God, he really does,” the 78 year old Arum said. “Manny really feels he has a calling from God to run for office and to help the people, especially the poorest of the poor.

“It is not window dressing with Manny, it's a real spirituality just like another of my fighters, the rabbi to be and world junior middleweight champion, Yuri Foreman. Manny believes he is being directed by God so you cannot try to push him in another direction.

“My role is to be supportive here, I am not here to talk about (Floyd) Mayweather or any other fights. I did not come here with any fight offers, for Mayweather or anyone else. I don't want to distract Manny from the election campaign.

“I'm here, in a limited way, as his political adviser,” Arum said, joking. “So I am a would be James Carville in this election.”

Arum said a misguided report that Pacman would fight Mayweather on Sept. 10 is “totally absurd.

“Who could properly stage such a big fight so close to Labor Day? I don't know where that one came from.”

Arum said he took Lunesta 3, a sleeping medication, to make his 13 hour flight from Vegas with a stopover in Vancouver easier to bear.

“They treat me great on Philippine Air Lines,” Arum said. “I have made nine trips over here to see Manny. They all know me.

“My only job here is to see that the new congressman from Sarangani gets elected, meaning Manny Pacquiao.

“When I get back to the States, after the elections here, I will go to work on the Mayweather fight. As a foreigner here, I am restricted and rightly so, from political participation. I am just here in support of Manny's ambition which is to help his own people.”

Arum said that should Pacman grant Mommy Aleng Dionesia's wish that he retire from the ring, he will also support that.

“I personally don't see that,” Arum said. “But, if Manny makes that decision, I will support it. I will throw him a big retirement party but I don't think this is what he will do."http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=27556

In a revealing interview with Luis Sandoval of BoxingScene.com, trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. said his son, Floyd Mayweather Jr., would beat Manny Pacquiao without the involvement of random drug testing. Mayweather Sr. studied Pacquiao's win over Miguel Cotto and didn't see anything that would prevent his son from beating the Filipino champion.

"To really be honest, I think Floyd would whoop his [expletive] without [the drug tests]. I wouldn't advise him to do that, but I think that he can do that. I seen what Cotto was doing to him. He's beatable with a jab. Cotto is not as fast as little Floyd and he's not as accurate as little Floyd with any kind of punches, so I don't think Floyd would have a problem doing that for a good ten rounds, twelve rounds," Mayweather Sr. told BoxingScene.com.

For several years, Mayweather has been attacked by critics, who believe he ducked away from a fight with Antonio Margarito in 2006 and 2007. Mayweather was at one point offered $8 million dollars and instead took a fight with Carlos Baldomir. Mayweather Sr. thinks the critics needs leave his son alone because Floyd dominated Shane Mosley last Saturday, and Mosley dominated and knocked out Margarito last January.

"He whooped two people [last Saturday night]. Do you know what two people he whooped? He whooped Margarito's [expletive] because Margarito was saying little Floyd was scared of him. Do you think Margarito is scared of him now or he's not? Because Shane knocked the [expletive] out of him and Floyd knocked the [expletive] out of Shane," Mayweather Sr. said.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=27545

Malignaggi: Without The Tests, Pacquiao Beats MayweatherBy Rick Reeno

During a recent media workout to promote his upcoming fight with WBA champion Amir Khan on May 15, former junior welterweight belt holder Paulie Malignaggi was presented with several questions about the hottest topic in the boxing business - Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao.

The biggest hurdle in making the fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather is the same hurdle that crippled their negotiations a few months ago. Earlier this year, the negotiations fell apart after the two sides were unable to reach a mutual agreement on the contract clause that called for random Olympic-style drug testing. Both fighters went their separate ways, and won their recent outings impressively, and now the two fighters are back in position to make the richest fight in boxing.

Malignaggi has been one of Pacquiao's biggest critics over the last few months. During the fall of 2009, Malignaggi voiced his suspicions about Pacquiao's possible use of performance enhancing drugs. When Pacquiao and Mayweather broke apart over the issue of drug testing, Malignaggi's voice of concern became a little louder.

In Malignaggi's opinion, Pacquiao is taking some form of a performance enhancer. He also doesn't agree with the recent comments made by trainer Freddie Roach, who suggested Shane Mosley aged in last Saturday's loss to Mayweather.

"Make Mosley and Pacquiao, and watch how much Mosley gets off. He didn't get off because Floyd had an answer to everything he did and not because Mosley got tired. You saw 24/7, Mosley was up in the mountains, he was ducking under towels and doing all of that good stuff. He wasn't tired after two rounds. Everything Mosley did he was getting countered, he was getting smothered, he was getting pushed back, he was getting hit to the body. Floyd was doing everything that he needed to do to take everything away from him," Malignaggi told BoxingScene.com.

"Pacquiao won't do that. Mosley and Pacquiao, that would be a barnburner. Manny Pacquiao don't know how to set you up, he just comes in and throws punches and Shane Mosley doesn't have to worry about being set up, he would come in and throws punches right back. It wasnt about Shane Mosley getting old. It was about Mayweather having all the answers and if they make Pacquiao-Mosley, you will see the difference."

As you can expect, BoxingScene asked Malignaggi for a Mayweather vs. Pacquiao prediction. He places the outcome on the involvement, or preclusion, of a random drug testing protocol. If there is no random drug testing protocol involved, he predicts Pacquiao will go through Mayweather in the same fashion as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.

"I believe Pacquiao is on something. It really comes down to the test. Because I believe Pacquiao is on a lot of good stuff, so if they don't take a test, Pacquiao probably walks through Mayweather because whatever he's on is some strong stuff and he's walking through everybody," Malignaggi said.

But if a random drug testing protocol is involved with the fight, he doesn't see Pacquiao being able to last more than eight rounds. Again, in Malignaggi's opinion, he predicts that a different Pacquaio will show up against Mayweather - if a drug testing protocol is involved.

"You see what kind of a strong welterweight Floyd Mayweather has become. He was pushing back Shane Mosley. He was ripping him to the body. And we know that performance was drug free. Do you know how we know? Because they had the strongest drug testing available in that fight. That performance by Mayweather was 100% pure. You can't take nothing away from him," Malignaggi said.

"If you have that kind of drug testing in fight with Manny Pacquiao, he don't last eight rounds. You won't see the same Manny Pacquiao that you've been seeing. You say 'wow, Manny Pacquiao looks like a killer.' You put him on the drug test and watch him not look like a killer."

This is definitely an even fight & a fight for the ages.
But back to square 1 everybody, just like last time.
Honestly, I think I'm the only filipino that thinks Mayweather would actually beat Pacquiao. I don't know it could go either way.
I'd take Money in this fight even though Pacman is our hero.

" People always gunna say Jordan is better than Kobe because Jordan came first. "

This is definitely an even fight & a fight for the ages.But back to square 1 everybody, just like last time.Honestly, I think I'm the only filipino that thinks Mayweather would actually beat Pacquiao. I don't know it could go either way.I'd take Money in this fight even though Pacman is our hero.

you're not the only one. LOL

i root for manny, he's very humble and has so far represented the nation with dignity and respect. but i was a boxing fan way before manny and will be one long after. i try and stay objective about it.

Trainer Freddie Roach is still stuck on his belief that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not capable of staying on the move. Because Mayweather stood his ground against Shane Mosley and made it a fight, Roach thinks Mayweather's age and inactivity has caught up with him. Speaking with the Manila Bulletin, Roach predicts an easy knockout win for Pacquiao if the two fighters step in the ring against each other.

“Easy [fight]. Manny’s going to knock him out. He couldn’t move, he’s got no more legs. Manny’s going to hit him from every angle,” said Roach.

Mayweather is not likely to fight Pacquiao in the same manner as he fought Mosley. He will use his legs and move. If Roach expects the same Mayweather as he saw last week, he might be in for a surprise.

According to trainer Freddie Roach, who is in New York with WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan, negotiations for a Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight is expected to begin this week. Roach told reporters the negotiations could begin as early as Tuesday once the elections in the Philippines, where Pacquiao is running for a congressional seat, are completed.

Roach told BoxingScene.com's Lem Satterfield on Sunday that Mayweather is the opponent of choice, but he doesn't have any problems with facing the Plan B opponent Antonio Margarito.

The biggest issue in making the fight is Mayweather's demand for random Olympic-style drug tests. The last time they tried to make a deal, earlier this year, the two fighters could not agree on the cut-off date for tests.

Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank said earlier today that Manny's political run will not effect his return to the ring. Arum told a radio show in the Philippines that Pacquiao will return in November against Mayweather or Margarito.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=27668

Manny Pacquiao Headed For a Stunning Electoral VictoryPound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is about to pull off probably the biggest win of his life in the congressional ring of Sarangani province where he is, by all accounts, demolishing his opponent from the wealthy Chiongbian dynasty, Roy Chiongbian.

Pacquiao was beating Chiongbian by an almost two-to-one margin in Kiamba according to a report by the giant broadcast network ABS-CBN.

Kiamba is where Pacquiao has a home and from where his charming wife and indefatigable campaigner Jinkee comes from while in vote rich Glan longtime friend and boxing fan, businessman-sportsman Rey Golingan reported Pacquiao was winning handsomely.

Golingan said Pacquiao was also leading the count in the municipality of Alabel which in the last general elections had a voting population of 33,071.

Indications are that Pacquiao will carry all three key municipalities which would assure him of fulfilling his dream of winning the lone congressional seat in Sarangani province so he could help the poor people of the region.

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and his team say they are ready for a fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in November. Pacquiao's mother had urged him to retire from the ring. He asked her for permission to stage one final fight, against Mayweather, and he received permission. On Monday Pacquiao won the elections for a seat to represent his home province in the Philippine Congress

"Many fans really want me to fight Floyd Mayweather, so I asked my mama if we can give them one more fight. She said okay," Pacquiao told a televison station in the Philippines.

The two sides tried to make a fight earlier this year but it fell apart over the issue of random Olympic-style drugs tests. Pacquiao's lawyer Franklin Gacal told Reuters by phone that Pacquiao is ready to fight Mayweather, but only under the rules of the state commission. Earlier in the year, Pacquiao was willing to take the tests up until 24-days before the fight. Mayweather wanted them to run until 14-days before the fight. They couldn't agree and the talks broke apart.

"Manny is ready to fight Mayweather in November, but under the rules sanctioned by the state commission, not by any other body," Gacal said. "Our position stays the same, we will only abide by the rules set by the state commission sanctioning the fight, whether in Las Vegas or in Texas."

Well somebody is acting like an a$$ and dictates stuffs... Sorry but Congressman Pacquiao ain't budging your Xylocaine-addict Floyd.... Why use an hand numbing drug if you're a real fighter anyway then maybe Manny will make you listen the same way he has for your blood testing demands

Both are great fighters, one is undefeated and concerned that the others is on roids...I dont see why people can go against Mayweather on his stance. If it was a WHITE fighter, who used his brain instead of his brawn he would be commended, but Mayweather is condemned....
Cocky blacks get zero love....

Again - this team, as currently constructed won't make it out of the second round of the playoffs, let alone the West or win the Finals.---fido on 2011 Lakers

WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao was quoted in Golzka as stating that Floyd Mayweather Jr. no longer had a reason to avoid a possible fight between the two of them. A few months ago, Mayweather requested Pacquiao to take random drug tests until 14-days before a planned May fight. Pacquiao refused his demand but agreed to take the random tests until 24-days before their fight date.

Recently Pacquiao agreed to accept Mayweather's request of 14-days. If Mayweather turns down the request, then Pacquiao thinks the real reason for the fight not taking place is simple "fear" on the side of Mayweather.

"He [Mayweather] will no longer have a reason [not to fight]," Pacquiao said.. "Let's see if that is really the reason."

Pacquiao does not want them to take too much blood during the drug tests. He only wants to give enough blood to comply with the tests in a proper way.

"I have agreed to it, but they should not draw much blood," Pacquiao said. "They should only take what is necessary for the drug test."

In February, Mayweather was very angry over their disagreement during the first round of negotiations. He promised to take the 14-day window off the table. He promised to issue a new demand where Pacquiao would have to get tested without any restrictions until their actual fight date. Mayweather has not issued that new demand since he first spoke about it in February. The promoters conducting the negotiations are not talking to the media about the crucial details involved and because of that we don't know if Mayweather will honor his previous request of 14-days.http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=28021

The management of Floyd Mayweather Jr. have issued “no comment” responses with respect to the new drug testing stance by Manny Pacquiao. In a report by Reeklama, representatives of Mayweather, including father/trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr., trainer Roger Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer issues “no comment” responses to Pacquiao’s position to take part in random Olympic style drug testing up until 14-days before a tentative fight date of November 14.

It was written that a reporter from the paper also tried to contact Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, who did not want to discuss the specific details of the Mayweather-Pacquiao negotiations or the cut-off date. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum was also issuing no comment replies to many questions on the negotiations. It leads many to believe the two sides have begun to discuss certain details and agreed to a united “no comment” front when it comes to discussing issues surrounding the money and the drug testing.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=27991

Man [expletive] this I'm going to stop posting till we get something official.